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Help Please

04-19-2007, 02:55 PM

I have a question. Ok so my idea is to build a four wheeled bike. but I dont know what kind of metal to use for the frame. So i was wondering would emt conduit be strong enough? and is it easy to weld? Thanks

Comment

If you have access to a metal supplier, I'd go with some regular thin walled tubing stock. Maybe 3/4" or 1", just depending on what/where it was needed. I realize EMT is available at most hardware stores and home supplies, but it would be worth the extra effort to get the proper material. That way you aren't risking Fume Fever from the zinc, and it is a whole lot easier to paint it when you are done. Now I'm curious about what this thing is going to look like and how it will handle. I've never seen a four wheeled bicycle before. Is it going to be a solo rider or double? SSS

Comment

If you have access to a metal supplier, I'd go with some regular thin walled tubing stock. Maybe 3/4" or 1", just depending on what/where it was needed. I realize EMT is available at most hardware stores and home supplies, but it would be worth the extra effort to get the proper material. That way you aren't risking Fume Fever from the zinc, and it is a whole lot easier to paint it when you are done. Now I'm curious about what this thing is going to look like and how it will handle. I've never seen a four wheeled bicycle before. Is it going to be a solo rider or double? SSS

A four wheeled bicycle is an oxymoron. If it has 4 wheels and is peddle powered, it is a quadricycle... 3 wheels = tricycle.

Comment

Thanks for the info, Yeah i think ill go the extra mile and get the thin walled tubing stock. As to the questions about the bike. It is more than likely going to be single. Ive figured up a steering mechanism that i think should work. Ok imagine this you have a front wheel off a bike and the fork and bearing still attached nothing else. You have one on the left and right side of you, you have a small metal rod sticking out of the bearing, now you have some sort of immovable metal piece welded to the side of the rod. Ok so now you have it where, when you move the piece you also move the wheel. have another piece welded about an inch apart. now stick a piece of metal tubing in between the two pieces with holes drilled on each side so you can slide a bolt through the first piece of metal then through the pipe and then through the other piece that is welded on. Sorta like a sandwich. Now the pipe should be movable. now do this with the other side also and then bring the two pipes into a V shape Now have them both attach the same way they did with the wheel part, sandwhich each one onto another movable rod which will be the steering stick, one that can move back and forth. now when you push the steering stick left you should go right and when you go right you should go left. Its inverted but I should be able to fix it. I probably made no sense whatsoever. Ill post pics when I start i guess. Its really hard to explain in words. Anyway now I have made a huge post. So ill stop now lol.